Ductape":5jviyy96 said:
I'm not trying to 'trash' anyone, sincerely, just staing a clearly defined opinion in response to a question from feetabix:
And I don't think it does. I'd wager that the majority of RetroBike users don't have extensive high-end collections of bicycle 'art'. I suspect it's more likely that they ride mid to high-end level mass production bikes, the main point being that they get ridden. Sure, quite a few collect bikes and don't ride them, and fair play to them. It's up to the individual after all, as the_duke rightly points out. With regards to my comment about drafting at night, I wouldn't (and didn't) claim that the drafting event in question is the actual version of events, just that it doesn't give the best impression of someone representing retrobikers on the 'net, not that anyone needs to be holier than thou. But as with virtually everything out there on the web, I'm perfectly happy to be proved that there may be many sides to the story. I don't want to come across as someone trying to hit a raw nerve, so genuine apologies if I've annoyed anyone out there.
pete_mcc":5jviyy96 said:
It's a compelling argument indeed. For me, it's as much about the practical function as it as about the ineffable bond between the machines and myself, but as much as I cherish them and respect the engineering, my bikes aren't works of art. To me, that is. We are all different, indeed.
Dr S":5jviyy96 said:
Another compelling point. I live in a city, along with the_duke, where the very last flight of any Concorde was ended. It came home, having been built here in Bristol in the '70s by workers and engineers that included many members of my own family. The pride in an astonishing piece of engineering that just to look at is breathtaking is palpable here. But we don't have a museum for 'our' Concorde. It sits on the apron parked up since 2003 when it landed, literally rotting away exposed to the elements, like a bike you might see on eBay - neglected on the one hand, yet still cherished on the other. It's as if the city doesn't want to let it go to a better home, but doesn't want to find the £10m+ needed to house it for the future. That has resonance with most RetroBike users, I'm sure. Having a Smithsonian type museum full of bicycles may well be a daydream for some of us, along with a Jay Leno size car-hangar, but the reality is of compromise - the majority aren't at that level and aren't that interested, or fanatical. There are other interests in life, other influences that take time and energyaway from this hobby.
Just like with Concorde here in Bristol, life is about compromise - financially, logistically and above all emotionally. In summary, I don't think most of us are as obsessive as we might be portrayed, or as we indeed see ourselves.
